Maureen Wallenfang
Appleton Post-Crescent
Published 9:36 AM EDT Aug 29, 2019
What would you do for a year of free Chick-fil-A?
Nearly 200 people showed up Wednesday night at the new Chick-fil-A in Grand Chute, ready to sleep out overnight in the parking lot to score a gift card loaded with 52 free chicken sandwich combos with waffle fries.
Of that group,100 people were chosen in a drawing for the privilege of staying for the next 12 hours on the asphalt with temperatures that dipped to 50 degrees.
“Who turns down free food?” asked Troy Schulz of Fox Crossing, who’d never eaten in a Chick-fil-A but showed up anyway. “Everybody talks about it, but I’ve never had it before. It’s awesome,” he said.
The evening felt like part “Price is Right” and part old-time Black Friday, back in the day when bargain-hunters used to camp out overnight in front of Best Buy to score cheap TVs and laptops.
Some came on crutches and others brought children with them. Kevin Lawracy of Neenah showed up in a cow-print suit he got from Goodwill.
“Chick-fil-A was part of my life growing up in the south,” he said.
Five guys from Lawrence University’s football team came for the sport of it.
“It’s a team bonding experience,” said player Cameron Wicks.
Ultimately two bailed out and just one of their group, Peter Bukszar, was picked to camp out. He came unprepared, and had to have someone come back with a cot and sleeping bag for him.
Tents were set up two to a parking stall, and he was next to a family that invited him to play cards until midnight. “I got five hours of sleep, but it was worth it,” he said.
“I got cold real quick, but I made new friends and there was an amazing energy all around,” said Thomas Kilber of Neenah. “The fun is half of it.”
The restaurant opened at 6:30 this morning, and Lawrence’s Bukszcar was second in line at the drive-thru, getting food for his buddies and aiming to make football practice by 7 a.m.
“There’s quite a line behind me already,” he said.
Grand Chute put extra officers on duty today to handle traffic and the expected crowds.
The restaurant is at 3775 W. College Ave., near the intersection with Interstate 41. It’s the first Chick-fil-A location in northeastern Wisconsin.
Contact Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com. Follow her on Twitter at @wallenfang.
More: The Buzz: 5 things to know before Chick-fil-A’s opening
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